Rajamahendravaram: TDP unsuccessful yet in dousing flames of dissent
Nallamilli Ramakrishna Reddy touring in Anaparthi cosntituency on Friday. Ramakrishna Reddy’s mother breaks down before the TDP leaders who visited their house.
Rajamahendravaram : Dissentin the TDP in the Anaparthi constituency in East Godavari district is becoming a problem for the party leadership. Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu's efforts to pacify party constituency in-charge Nallamilli Ramakrishna Reddy, who is opposing the allotment of Anaparthi seat to BJP, proved futile so far. It is learnt that he refused to meet Naidu, who invited him to discuss the issue.
Although the party president spoke on the phone, it cut no ice with Ramakrishna Reddy and his supporters who are fuming at the sudden decision of the party. It may be recalled here that Ramakirshna Reddy’s name was announced as party candidate for the seat in the TDP’s first list.
Ramakrishna Reddy is currentl on a five-day tour across the constituency along with his family members. Against this backdrop, senior TDP leaders Gorantla Butchaiah Chaudhary, Vegulla Jogeswara Rao, Nimmakayala Chinarajappa, Sujay Krishna Ranga Rao and Ganni Krishna went to his residence on Friday night and had a long talk with him. Party chief Chandrababu Naidu reportedly asked him to meet him through them. But Ramakrishna Reddy expressed his reluctance to meet the party chief. He said that he would tour the constituency along with his family for five days to know public opinion. He said that he would think about meeting Naidu only after that.
Ramakrishna Reddy’s father Nallamilli Moola Reddy was elected four times as MLA Since 1983. Ramakrishna Reddy was elected as MLA once. That family, was in power for 22 years, has been in-charge of the party for four decades in the constituency. So far, irrespective of the party, Anaparthi Assembly seat is being given to Reddy community only. Breaking that tradition, now ticket is given to a non-Reddy caste which created a sensation here.
TDP workers are insisting that Anaparthi seat should be allotted to Ramakrishna Reddy. They said that BJP's influence in this constituency is limited. BJP has allotted ticket to Siva Krishnam Raju who belongs to the Kshatriya caste. In Anaparthi, where the votes of the Reddy caste are a deciding factor, hopes are being expressed by alliance parties that this new experiment will succeed. Some people opine that being a joint candidate of three parties and an ex-serviceman, Siva Krishnam Raju may get the support of people and emerge victorious.